Various objects have been put together in this installation to reconstruct an object that appeared in rumours around the beginning of the 21st century. The rumours seem to suggest that the owner of these objects could use them at any place and at any time simultaneously, or nearly, as if she had all these objects in the pocket of her jeans. She could phone somebody, watch television, write a letter, do calculations, register sound and pictures, … wherever and whenever she wanted. One problem with the installation shown here is that it is too large to fit in the pocket of a jeans …
The Museum has been investigating the possible relationship between the installation and Cat. Nr. 85. The latter object, when provided with electric power, shows pictures of a telephone, a camera, a calculator, etc.. : objects similar to the ones used in the installation shown here.
Highly time-resolved research further showed that the objects shown here were in use at the end of the 20thcentury, while it is well documented that Cat. Nr. 85 appeared for the first time in 2007.
Technological development is known to have been very fast in that period. It must therefore not be excluded that it has been possible to miniaturize all objects shown here and put them together in one device. The fossil record of that period, e.g Cat. Nr. 82 and Cat. Nr. 83 seems to confirm such a transition.
Based on the above evidence, it is safe to conclude that Cat. Nr. 85 indeed allowed to do everything that was shown on its display. It also follows that the rumours mentioned above were not rumours but actual descriptions of Cat. Nr. 85.
The installation shown here should thus be seen as a precursor of Cat. Nr. 85 that was re-constructed afterwards.
One further thought: the possibility that anyone could indeed do everything everywhere anytime must have had fundamental impacts on the human being.
